title: Birth of children with severe β-thalassemia at a tertiary obstetric hospital: what are the reasons behind it?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To find reasons for the births of severe β-thalassemia at a tertiary obstetric hospital in mainland China.
  
  
  METHODS
  All cases with confirmed diagnosis of β-thalassemia major were included from 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2011. The main clinical characteristics of the affected pregnancies were reviewed, including maternal reproductive history, prenatal care in the current pregnancy, the gestation of pregnancy at the time of booking, and availability of husbands for a screen test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of nine cases of β-thalassemia major were identified at birth during the study period. The reasons for no prenatal diagnosis included unavailability of the father for a test in four cases, unacceptability of the invasive procedure in two cases, absence of prenatal care in two cases, and nonpaternity in one case.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The effectiveness in control of the disease is not only associated with the model itself but also the factors playing against the model. The identification of the main reasons for the birth of severe thalassemia might help to find room for improvement in clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guangzhou Maternal & Neonatal Hospital, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Dong-Zhi
authors.initials: DZ
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D036801:Parturition; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000592:standards; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000592:standards; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control